BA IN HUMAN SERVICES

The mission of the UCCS Human Services program is to prepare a competent human services workforce. The program is committed to excellence in serving our community by meeting the demands for ethical human services professionals in the following areas: military and veteran support, substance use and recovery, rehabilitative services, student affairs in higher education, and social and emotional wellness. The program strives to prepare graduates with the awareness, knowledge, skills, and advocacy competencies necessary to thrive as human services professionals that are committed to lifelong learning. We promote student-centered learning that emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion through accessible curriculum and supportive relationships with faculty. Through faculty advising we guide our students in self-discovery and career development. Students engage in experiential learning through high quality fieldwork and rigorous curriculum. These strategies prepare students for gainful employment and relevant certifications that will empower them to be an integral part of change in the lives of others.

The UCCS Human Services program philosophy is structured around four interrelated components: (1) modern theoretical foundations for interpersonal effectiveness, (2) culturally responsive and effective strategies for intervention, and social justice advocacy, (3) research and evaluation methods, (4) development and demonstration of skills in human services intervention strategies through experiential coursework and field experience. The program centers its curriculum around a holistic approach to human services and endeavors to develop practitioners who are prepared to create positive change at the individual, community, and systems levels. The program values the impact our graduates will make as they serve our unique and diverse communities. 

Program Required Credit Hours 

Core Course Requirements (36 credits)

Specialist Tracks
Social & Emotional Wellness Emphasis (18 credits)

Substance Use & Recovery Emphasis (18 credits)

Rehabilitative Services Emphasis (18 credits)

Military & Veteran Support Emphasis (18 credits)

Student Affairs in Higher Education Emphasis (18 credits)

"Human services worker" is a generic term for people who hold professional and paraprofessional jobs in such diverse settings as group homes, transitional housing, correctional facilities, community mental health centers, family, child, and youth service agencies, and programs concerned with alcoholism, drug abuse, family violence, and aging. Depending on the employment setting and the kinds of clients served there, job titles and duties vary a great deal. The primary purpose of the human service worker is to assist individuals and communities to function as effectively as possible in the major domains of living. A strong desire to help others is an important consideration for a job as a human services worker. Individuals who show patience, understanding, and caring in their dealings with others are highly valued by employers. Other important personal traits include communication skills, a strong sense of responsibility, and the ability to manage time effectively.

Examples of Occupational Titles of Human Service Workers

For new students

Please visit our website for admissions information.

Declare your Human Services Major

Schedule time with your academic advisor to officially declare your Human Services major. The Academic Advising Department updates the Department of Counseling and Human Services with newly declared majors. Academic Advising is located in Main Hall Room 208 (lobby). Phone: (719) 255-3260. Please contact the Human Services Coordinator within the Department of Counseling and Human Services for any questions about the Human Services major. Call 719-255-4996 or education@uccs.edu to set up that appointment.

The fieldwork experience is an essential element of the UCCS Human Services degree program. It involves a supervised off-site human services field training experience. This training provides students with the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge; to implement, develop and assess the efficacy of human services skills; and to develop the professional and personal attitudes important to the career of a human services professional. Students are supervised by experienced professionals who teach relevant skills, provide supervision of on-going work, and serve as role models of professional identity and behavior. Students must be approved by faculty for fieldwork and meet all requirements throughout the program. Fifty fieldwork hours are accounted for with the core competency courses, particularly COUN 2950 Fieldwork in Human Services I where students are introduced to the fieldwork experience and primarily participate through observation of experienced human services professionals. Students complete 300 hours of fieldwork through multiple semesters of COUN 4950 Fieldwork in Human Services II with at least 100 hours being completed during the students’ junior and/or senior years. By completion of the UCCS Human Services degree program, students will complete at least 350 hours total of fieldwork experience.

The Department of Counseling and Human Services provides a list of numerous fieldwork sites to engage with in your fieldwork experience. Students learn more about the fieldwork search, application, and expectations process via a fieldwork orientation session held early in the COUN 2950 Fieldwork in Human Services I course.

One option for fieldwork experience is Campus Connections, a for-credit, service-learning fieldwork experience that pairs UCCS students and youth from the community in mentor-mentee relationships. Youth are referred through our El Paso Country Community partners and are matched with a UCCS student who provides one-on-one therapeutic mentoring throughout the semester. Mentors spend four hours once a week with their mentee providing academic support, career planning, and promoting positive social skill development.

For more information, visit the Campus Connections website here.

Download the UCCS Human Services Program Data here: UCCS BA Enrollment Data.pdf